Brake pipe cut-off valve



May 19, 1931. T. H. THOMAS BRAKE PIPE CUT-OFF4 VALVE Filed sept. 7, 192s 3 Sheets-Sheet l T. H. THOMAS May 19', 1931.

BRAKEPIPE CUT-OFF VALVE Filed Sept. 7, 1928 C Sheets-Sheet 2 E wh um mw W n www im? INVENTOR THOMAS HTHOMAS BY ATTOR EY MaylQ, 1931. T. H. THOMAS BRAKE: PIPE CUT-OFF VALVE Filed sept. 7. 1928 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 INVENTOR THOMAS HTI' HOMA E" Wwf@ ATTORNEY Patented May 19,1 1931 Y UNIT-ED? g Lacasse- P ATENT oF-FicsV e Timms H. THOMAS, oF nnGEvvoonvrENNsYIivAmm, AssIeNoR To THE. WiisrINe- House Ara BRAKE;COMPANY;VOEVWILMERDING, rENNsYLvANiA, .1i coRIoaArIoN AoF PENNSYLVANIA Bmxnrirn cur-cnn VALVE;

y Application"nledrseptemer 7, 1928i serial ivo. 304,607.l line V10410 of Fig. 1;(Fig. 11 is a detail plan This invention relates to-` automatic'train pipe couplings, and more particularly to the type known as` theV tight or rigid lock cou- 35"5 An object of the invention isV to provide a ist Y 'n `illustrating the notch in the side wall there-y train pipe couplingothe above mentioned type with means-for automaticallycontroljling the flow of fluid from, a charged train pipe section to an uncharged section,` during Y the coupling operation.

Another object of the invention is. to priovide a train pipe coupling ofthe above mentioned type with means by which theoharg ing of an empty vsection of train pipe `.from a charged section is controlledso as notto produce any emergency application. a too rapid drop in brake pipe pressure inthe kcharged section. 4 Y

Another Vobject of the invention iste provide a train pipe coupling of the' above mentioned type with means by which the flow of.

fluidthrongh a coupled train pipe isgov'erned by the amount of pressure of the` iiuidjin a parallel train pipe. Y f p The invention also comprisescertain new and useful improvements in the construction, Y

' arrangement and combination of the several parts of which it iscomposed, as will behereinaiter more fully described andclaimed(` Inthe accompanying' 4drawings,` Figure 1 is a longitudinal section ofA an automatic ,train pipe coupling embodying r'nyinventilon,l showing the' same inuncoupled position; Eig; 2.

is a` side elevation, partly in section` ofja portion of the structure. shown inf-Fig. ;F1g.

3 is a transverse section taken? along thelli'ne; 3-8 of Fig.` 1; Fig. 4 isa verticaljtransverse section taken' approximately' on. the lineof Fig. 1; Fig. 5 is a detail'perspective of the latch-operating member; 'Fig'. 6y is` a detail plan of the valve actuating bar; Fig. 7 is Val side elevation-of the bar shownin yFig.-6,

of; Fig. 8 is a view of a portionoftbe structure Vshown in'Fig. V2', illustrating the. relative position of the latch member when the couplinghead is coupled to l`acou'nterpart coupling; Fig9 isa view similartoFig! 8" of the coupling stem; Fig. 12' is a detail ver'- tic'al'lon 'tudinal section taken on the line 12-12 0 ."Fig. '1 showingthe connection betweeny the latch. lever and ythe coupling stem;

'Fig'. 13 isa detail view of aportion of the l forwardfor Vnose' 4end ofthe couplingv head showing the ends ofthetrain pipe conduits;

Fig. 14`isfa' section taken' onthe line 1li-14: v o'fFig. 1;"iFig;-15fis a detail side elevation 'ofthe plug valve operating rodi; Fig'. 116 is ak plan. of the plug valve'` operatingrod; Fig. 17 is avertical transverse section of thep-lfug valve-segments;-Fig. 18 is a plan thereof; A

Fi .19 is an elevation of one of the plug va vesegments, lookingtoward the interior thereof;` Fig'. 20 isa detail. elevation showing one of the plug valve segments mounted on theAv opera-ting rod; and Figs. 21 to 23 in-r 'clusive'ar'e' diagrammatic views illustrating the manner of operating the plug valve. y

Train pipecouplings of the type known 'as the tighter rigid lock coupling, are shown for example in the Westinghouse Patent No. A,

708,747, dated September 9, 1902, and in which. each coupling head is provided with a laterally p projecting hook-shaped portion Y adapted to engager the corresponding portion of. acounterpartv coupling' by a relatively lateral.y movement, and be rigidly locked together byf earn. levers or latches, onel pivoted voneachi coupling head and bearing against the other counterpart coupling head1V Train pipe passages larerforniecl in the. coupling connected togetheni L A Y p i `Whilea couplingof the above-typey vwill automatically `Lrcouple lwith 5a' counterpart `coupling when twov cars are brought together, it is' necessary yto manually operate the train Izaipel valves. tofchar'ge an empty sectionof train pipe from a charged' section. .Y Y- l 'Bythe presei'iiy invention means areprovided by which the train pipe valves are actu-Y ated :by the locking vmechanism of the coupling` head whereby.. theftrain` pipes willjbe automatically opened Ywhen the Carsraneh coupled: and" will rbe l automatically closed 1 Ves when the cars are uncoupled, the brake pipe valves being only partially opened when the coupling heads come together so as to permit a slow drop of brake pipe pressure in the charged section and thereby prevent an undesired emergency application.

Referring to the drawings, the automatic train pipe coupling head 1 comprises a projecting nose 2 adapted to engage ina recess 3 of a counterpart couplin head. The head 1 is provided with a hooked portion 4 arranged above and below a plane surface 5, the hooked portion of one coupling head being adapted to engage and interlock with a corresponding hook portion of a 'counterpart cou ling head, in the manner fully` described in t e above mentioned Westinghouse patent.

Mounted in the coupling head 1 and terminating at the plane surface 5 thereof, are two train pipe conduits 8 and 9, the former being connected to the brake pipe 81, while the latter is connected to the train signal pipe 91. If so desired, the conduits 8 and 9 may be formed iny a single casting, as shown in Figs. 1, 2, 4,l and 14, and the conduit 8 may be made oval in cross section for a portion of its length so as to reduce the width of the opening to the minimum.

As shown in Figs. 1 and 13, the forward or nose end of the conduit 8 is provided with a gasket 6, while the forward or nose end of they conduit 9 is provided with a gasket `7. These gaskets are adapted to engage the corresponding gaskets on a counterpart coupling and make a fluid tight joint when the coupling heads are coupled together.

The coupling head is provided with a pivoted cam or latch lever 10 having a cam surface 11 for engaging the face 12 of a counterpart coupling head. i

The lever 10 carries an arm 13 to which a rod 14 is pivotally connected by a pin 15. A member 16 is secured to the outer end of the rrod 14, and interposed between said member and-a fixed abutment 17 is coil spring 18. A guide pin 19, secured to the coupling heard, is adapted to engage in a slot provided in the member 16.V

The rear end of the coupling head is formed with an opening 2O which constitutes a guide for the forward end ofja stem 21, the end face of the coupling head, around the opening, being extended to provide a flange 22.

The stem 21 has its rear end provided with a ball sect-ion 23 adapted to be mounted in a socket (not shown) carried by the car.

Carried by the stem 21 is a sleeve 24 having one end flanged at 25 for abutting the flange 22. The sleeve 24 is formed with diametriy cally disposed longitudinal slots 26 Y into which extend the projecting ends of a pin 27 passing transversely through the stem 21. v

f Ak coil spring 28 encircles the stem 21 and the sleeve 24, one end of the spring bearing against the iange 25, while the opposite end kand the coupling head when two cars are coupled together, whereby the forward end of the stem will be disposed further into the coupling head for a purpose to be described.

Atthe front end, the stem 21 is provided with an extended portion 30 having a longitudinal slot 31 and engaging in said slot is a U-shapedr ylink 32 which is pivotally connected to a lever arm 33 carried by the cam lever 10. As shown in Figs. 1, 11, and 12, the slot 31 may extend for a distance into the main body of the stem 21 to increase the length thereof with respect to the length of the portion 30. e

Formed in the brake pipe conduit 8, with its axis perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of said conduit, is a cylindrical valve chamber 35 containing a rotary plug valve for controlling the flow of fluid through the conduit 8.

As shown, the plug ,valve may comprise a pair of substantially semi-cylindrical segments` 36 and 37' which are internally recessed so as to provide a cavity which excavity and interposed between the segments 36 and 37, are expansible coil springs 39 for `yieldingly maintaining said segments in contact with the wall of the valve'chamber 35. The bottom of each segment of the plug .valve is notched, as at 82, for receiving a correspondingly formed lug 83 on the upper portion or head 84 of a rotatable valve rod 38.' The lugs 83 are diametrically disposed on the head 84, as shown in Fig. 16, and provide a keyconnection between the plug valve segments 36` and 37 and the rod 38, so that when the rod is rotated in the manner to be hereinaftery described, the vmotion will be transmitted to the` plug valve segments. As shown clearly in Figs. 2, 4, 15, 16 and 20, the head 84 of the valve rod 38 may be in the formof a disk, having a diameter slightly less than the diameter of the chamber' 35.

f' In order to prevent the escape of Huid kthrough the yvalve rod opening at the bottom of the chamber 35, the head 84 is supported by a seat k42 which surrounds the valve rod 38.

yMounted in the top of the chamber 35 and bearing against a plate 4() constituting a head or cap for the plug valve, is an expansible coil spring 41 for yieldingly maintaining the segments 36 and 37 in engagement with the head 84 of the valve rod 38, and the head 84 in contact with the seat `42. The seat 42 may' comprise a gasket formed fromzasuit-V able composition material..

In order to` prevent collapsing of the plug l val-ve segments 36 and 37, due tothe lbuild up of a higher pressure o-nthe brakek pipe side ofthe valve chamber k thanijs acting on the interior faces of the segments 36 and` 37, when the plug valve is positioned so as to cut off communication through the conduit 8, the wall of the segment 37 is perforated, as at 44, sov that fluid under pressure from the brakey f pipe 81 will be admitted to the 'cavity within the plug valve,thereby balancing the fluid y pressures acting on the opposite sides' of the plug valve.

segment 37. The-fluid can. also' flow' through Y rod 38. f

The side walls ofthe segments 36 and are each provided with alinednotches which provide' a waterway orport 43 through the For the purpose of rotating the plu-g valve, the rod 38terminates at its lower end in a laterally projecting arm 46 carrying av roller 47 `which is disposed in a camY groove` or channel 4S formed in the upper surface of al bar 49 slidably mountedin the coupling head l,

as shown in Fig. 4. Y

` The contour of thev cam groove48 1s such that when the coupling head 1s 1n uncoupled position rthe water wayor port throughv the valve will be disposed transversely of the opening in the conduit 8, and When the coupling head is being ,coupled to a counterpart coupling and the relative position of. theV bar 49 with respect to the coupling headis shifted, rin the manner to be described, thel arm 46 will be swung in an arc suiiicientliyto V bring the water way or port of the brake plug into positiontojslightly open the passage through the-conduit 8 (see Figs. 6, 2l

4and 22).: I. f c

rlhe lowerfface of thebar 49 has a: longitudinal groove" O'for'med therein, which groove! receives a correspondingly formed lribV 5l with which the couplin'glhea'd isvpro vided. Asshown in Fig. l, the barl 49 is Vdisposed parallel'to the stem 2l, being offset` a suitable distance therefrom. Q1

As shown best in Figs. 3, 6, 11, 21, 22 and 23., one end of the bar 49 is formed with' a laterally projecting arm 52 terminating in! a f raised portion or nose The extremity ofthe arm 52 abuts the adjacent face of a lug tion 30 of the stem 2l.

` As shown inFigs.,-3,`4, l0, 1l, 21, 22 and 23,

the side of the portion 30' having the lugd is lnotched'avt 55 forreceiving a laterally [disposed T-shaped head 56 carried by one end of ai latch-operating member 57 disposedin4` 54 projecting' from one side of thepor-v the coupling head! between the stem 21 and the bar 49' in parallel relation thereto.l

lThe upper portion of thehe'ad 56 isv adaptedto normally rest on the portion 30, as

shown yin Figs. 2, 4, 8, 9 and -lO, and this hea-d has an eye 58 projecting upwardly7 therefrom tok whicheyeis connected one end of a coil spring 59 carried Vby the depending end of the drawbar coupling pin 60'of the car.

, VReferring to Figs. 2, 5, 8 and 9, the member .57 is formed with an elongated opening 6l for receiving the laterally projectingjend mounted atI 'ftothe coupling head l, so as to be `movable therewithy when the position .of the coupling head 'is shifted with respect to the stem 21 when the cars are brought together for coupling up. The latch member 64 has an arm 66 oppositely disposed with relation to thel arm 63, and this arm 66 has a laterally Vprojecting finger 67. When the cars arev uncoupled, and the coupling head l is extended with relation to the stem '21, the finger 67 bears against the lower face of the1 bar 49 (see Figs. 2 and 4). However,

when the `cars are coupled and the coupling head l is moved rearwardly on the stem, 21,

the finger' 67 ofthe latch member 64 is disposed ina notch 68 formed along the adjacent side wall of the bar 49 (see Fig. 7). The outer end of the notch 68 terminates in a stop or shoulder 69, the purpose of which will be hereinafter explained.

Projecting from the side Vofthe valve rod 46 in a. lateral direction is another arm 7l which is actuated by the rod 72.0f ya piston 73 mounted in a cylinder 74 carried by the coupling head l. The piston rod 72 is guided by a boss 75 formed on the inner end of the cylinder' 74. Y

Afseat rib 76 is formedon theend face of the'boss 7 5 against which seat a valve 77 on the piston 73 rests when the piston is at the g inner end of its stroke. ,Y

The piston 73 is retained normally at the Vouter end of the cylinder by a coil spring 7 8, 'one end of-which encircles the boss 75, while the oppositeend thereof bears against the inner faceof the piston. Y

The chamber 79 in the cylinder 74 on the sideof the piston oppositeto the spring 78 wardly by the nosey 2. The hooked portions f 4 of the two couplings become interloclred 62 of the weighted arm 63 of a latch membery 64. The latch member 64 is pivotally` is connected tothe signal pipe conduit 9 by a j.

Ythrough the relative lateral and longitudinal 1 Vmovement and the planel facesk 5 meet, so that thetrain pipefopenings therein are connected together.`

, When the train pipe coupling head on each car moves rearwardly on the stem 2l, the sleeve 24 will be carried with it, thereby compressing the spring 2S between the fiange 25 and the colla-r 29 which are brought closer together'.

When the couplingl head l and the stem 2l are thus telescoped together, 'the yU-shaped link 32 will be carried rearwardly oi" the slot 31 and the pressure of spring 18 will force the lever l() outwardly towards the nose 2 so that the cam face ll engages the face l2 of the counterpart coupling head and locks the two coupling heads tightly together.

Inasmuch as the couplingl heads will be held telescoped on the stemsI 2l during the time the car couplers are locked together, the loop ends of the links 32 will not engage the outer end of the slots 31. Therefore, the levers will be retained in locked position by the pressure exerted by the springs 18 and these latches will remain in such position as long as the cars remain coupled together, by virtue ot' the lost motion provided by the slotted connections between the several parts.

As shown in Figs. l and 2l, the plug valve in the chamber of the conduit 8 will be closed, and when the train. pipe openings of rthe two coupling heads l are brought together during the coupling operation, the plug valve in each chamber 35 ot the ad- ]oining coupling heads is adapt-ed yto be automatically actuated to open communication through the conduit 8 al'ter the joints between the abutting gaskets have been sealed.

Vhen the coupling head l moves rear wardly on the stem 21, as has been described, to actuate the cam lever l0, the bar 49 will be prevented from travelling with the coupling head by reason of the interlock provided between the arm 52 thereof and the lug 54. Therefore, the roller 47 on the end of the valve rod 38 will traverse the cam groove 48, and as this groove has an offsetportion formed therein, the arm 46 will be swung from the position shown in Fig. 2l to the position shown in Fig. 22, in which position the port 43 of the plug valve will be so disposed with respect to the conduit 8, that a restricted amount of fluid can flow therethrough from the charged section ot brake pipe to theuncharged or empty section. In this way the fluid pressure will be gradually built up in the empty brake pipe section, since the rate of iow past the plug valve will be restricted.

During the inward movement of the coupling head, the latch operating member 57 will also remain stationary, but as the latch 64 is mounted on the coupling head l, it will be carried therewith, the finger 67 of the latch riding along the lower surface of the portion of the bar 49 to the left of the stop 69.

Since the weighted end 63 of the latch is elevated when the finger 67 is positioned to the left of the stop 69, when the coupling head advances in its movement inwardly of the stem 21, the weighted arm 63 of the latch will, when the finger 67 clears the stop 69, descend to the position shown in Fig. S, and

.in so doing, the finger 67 is elveated into the notched portion 68 of the bar 49. 'ihe latch will remain so positioned while the coupling heads are locked together. However, as will be hereinafter described, the device is so constructed that when the cars are intentionally separated, the coupling heads l are automatically uncoupled and the plug valves are closed, but should the'coupling heads be unintentionally disconnected, the plug valves will remain open.

lVhen the coupling heads are coupled, the iiuid in the charged section of signalfpipe 91 will fiow through the two adjoining conduits 9 into the uncharged section of signal pipe, and in so doing will also flow through the pipe and passage SO leading from each signal pipe conduit 9 into the chamber 79 of the cylinder 74, on each coupling head, gradually building up the pressure on the face of the piston 73 opposite to the spring side thereof.

When the pressure of the fluid in chamber 79 increases an amount sufficient. to overhalance the pressure exerted by the spring 78, the piston 73 will be forced toward thc seat rib 76, thereby moving the piston rod 72 outwardly of the cylinder 74. In this movement of the piston rod 72, the arm 7l of the plug valve will be swung toward the right (see Fig. 23) a distance sufficient to rotate the valve to wide open position in which the water way or port 43 of the plug valve registers with the conduit openings on the opposite side of the chamber 35. The outward movement of the piston rod 72 will be arrested when the valve 77 of the piston 73 engages the seat rib 76 at the right hand end of the cylinder 74, and thereby seals the piston chamber.

As the action of the piston 73 is subsequent tothe initial partial opening of the valve caused by the slight rotation of the valve rod 38 as the result of the movement of the roller 47 longitudinally in the cam groove 48, as heretofore described, the pressure of the fluid admitted into the uneharged brake pipeV section will have been built up an amount sufiicient to prevent an undesired emergency when the valve is opened wide by the pneumatically actuated means.

Inasmuch as the pressure of the fluid in the signal pipe 91 is greater than the force eXerted by the spring 78, the piston 73 will remain seated against the seat rib 76 while the coupling heads are interlocked.

Vhen coupled cars are separated, the car couplers are unlocked by lifting the draw bar pins 60 and as the cars separate, the train pipe couplings remain coupled and locked together until the cars have moved apart sullil i head to its normal uncoupled position, as

ciently to pull the coupling heads l outwardly of the stems 2l. until further longitudinal movement is prevented by the pins 27 en gaging the ends of the slots 26, as shown in rig. 1.

This action will also pull the links 32 to the outer end or" the slots 31, whereupon the l-evers l0 will be swung backwardly out of enof the train section that it is desired to retain Y charged, while the other train section can'be emptied to relieve the pressure of'fluid in the .chamber 79 and permit the closing of the .brake pipe valve.

TWhen the coupling heads separate, the springs 28 will maintain the parts in the eX- tended position shown in F ig. l,`readyV for coupling up. Y Y n l As shown in Fig. 9, kwhen the draw-bar pin 60 is lifted in order to eii'ect the uncoupling of the cars, the latch operating member 57 will also be elevated with respect to the front end of the stem 2l and the bar 49, the head 56 of the member 57 being guided by the side walls Vof the notch projecting end 62 of the weighted arm 63 of the latch member 64 rests on the lower portion of the member 57 in the elongated opening 61, the laterally projecting end 62V of the latch member 64 will also be raised. This action causes the latch member 64 to rotate ina counter .clockwise direction so that the inger 67 at the opposite end of the latch member 64 is lowered from its position within the notch 68to a of the bar 49, thereby unlatching the coupling head from the bar 49.

Therefore, when the couplingheadlmoves outwardly from coupled to uncoupled position, the bar 49 and the member 57 will remain stationary and hence the roller 47will,

in traversing outwardly in the camgroovel 48, cause thek valve rod 38 to rotate to ei'ect' the closing of the brake pipe valve simul- Since the laterallyV position below the lower face` linger 67 of the latch 64 will be positioned against the shoulder 69.

Hence the roller 47 will remain stationary inthe cam groove 48 and accordingly no rotative movement will be imparted to the valve rod 38 when the bar 49 moves outwardly with the coupling head l, the nose 53 will ride over theend of the member 57 and thereby prevent lifting of the head 56 from the notch 55.

The functional and structural obj ects above stated are thus seen to be obtained in the construction described. It is to be understood that certain features of the invention are capable ofy modification and combination in couplings of other types without sacrifice of the attendant advantages.

Having now described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

l. The combination with an automatically n operable train pipe coupling having a plurality of train pipe passages, one of which is controlled by a valve, .of means actuated when the coupling is connected to a counterpart coupling for rotating the valve to partially open the passage, and meansr actuated by the pressure of fluid in another passage for subsequently rotating the valve to its wide open position.

2. The combination with a train pipe coupling having a head provided with a train pipe passage, a valve rotatably mounted in the passage, means operated by a predetermined movement of the coupling head relative to the car for rotating the valve to partially open the passage, and means for subsequently rotating the valve to fully open the passage.

`coupling headrelativ'e to the car for rotating the valve to partially open the passage, and

means actuated by the pressure of fluid in another passage for subsequently rotating the valve to fully open vthe passage.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto Set my hand.

THOMAS H. THOMAS.

taneously with the return of the coupling L shown in Fig. l.

F or the purpose -of effecting an emergency rate of reduction of the fluid pressure in the brake pipe to cause immediate application of Y the brakes when ythe coupling heads are unintentionally uncoupled, the valve in the cham ber 35 should not be closed.

Therefore, should vthe coupling head `lV 1 

